Focus Features and Laika Seal Three-Film Deal

Focus Features and Laika Seal Three-Film Deal

Focus Features and Laika, the team behind stop-motion animated hit “The Boxtrolls,” have announced a new three film partnership. Focus will distribute the animation house’s next three projects domestically, with Universal Pictures International handling overseas release.

Focus, which is continuing to establish its new identity under CEO Peter Schlessel, landed Laika its best opener yet with “The Boxtrolls,” a top contender for the 2015 animated feature Oscar that opened last week. This new formal partnership will extend Focus’ longstanding relationship with Laika and its CEO Travis Knight. The studio previously released Laika’s Oscar nominees “Coraline” and “ParaNorman” under former CEO James Schamus. (Read our interview with “The Boxtrolls” composer here.)

Focus, meanwhile, has another Oscar hopeful, the Stephen Hawking biopic “The Theory of Everything,” coming down the pike in November.